Ngāti Awa Landmarks

Context and Overview

This 40-minute lesson introduces students to Ngāti Awa landmarks, integrating this rich cultural knowledge into the reading and writing programme. It supports English learning for Year 4-6 students (ages 8-11) in New Zealand, aligning with the New Zealand Curriculum's focus on celebrating local identity, fostering positive reader and writer identities, and developing comprehension, vocabulary, and critical analysis skills. The lesson will deepen students’ understanding of te ao Māori and whenua, while providing scaffolds for reading and writing authentic, culturally relevant texts.

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Learning Objectives (Aligned to NZ Curriculum & Te Mātaiaho)

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Reading

  • Identify key Ngāti Awa landmarks using a variety of text forms (information reports, legends, maps).
  • Infer meanings of unfamiliar words related to Ngāti Awa landmarks using context clues and morphological knowledge (prefixes, suffixes).
  • Make connections between texts and their own knowledge of local cultural contexts to support comprehension and interpretation.

• Writing

  • Compose an informative paragraph about a chosen Ngāti Awa landmark using appropriate text features (headings, facts, concluding sentences).
  • Use linking words to clarify ideas and organise writing logically for an intended audience.
  • Revise and edit their writing for clarity, using peer and teacher feedback.

• Key Competencies

  • Thinking: Critically analyse texts and information about Ngāti Awa landmarks.
  • Relating to others: Respect others’ ideas and cultural perspectives during discussions.
  • Using language, symbols and texts: Engage with Māori oral and written traditions and digital texts about landmarks.

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Materials Needed

• Short Ngāti Awa landmark texts (print and/or projected), including images and maps
• Word cards with Māori vocabulary related to the landmarks
• Writing paper, pencils, coloured markers
• Digital device (optional) for showing images or interactive map
• Question prompts for reading and discussion

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Lesson Plan

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Activate prior knowledge: Discuss briefly what students know about local iwi (Ngāti Awa) and if they have visited or heard of any local landmarks.
• Set purpose: Explain that today’s reading and writing will focus on important places (landmarks) to Ngāti Awa, discovering their stories and why they matter.

2. Reading Activity (15 minutes)

• Guided reading:
  • Provide an information text about 2-3 key Ngāti Awa landmarks (e.g., Whakatāne Heads, Tāneatua).
  • Model reading aloud with expression and pausing for vocabulary explanation. Use think-alouds focusing on context clues and morphology to infer word meanings (e.g., whenua, marae, kāinga).
• Group reading:
  • Students read the texts in pairs, highlighting new words, facts, and any questions they have.
• Comprehension discussion:
  • Prompt students with questions: What did you learn about each landmark? How are the landmarks important to Ngāti Awa? Which words or phrases helped you understand the text?
  • Encourage connections: “How do these landmarks compare to places you know?”.

3. Writing Activity (15 minutes)

• Plan and write:
  • Each student selects their favourite landmark from the reading (or teacher assigns).
  • Plan writing with a simple organiser: Name of landmark; Where it is; Why it is special/important; One interesting fact; Closing sentence.
  • Write an informative paragraph incorporating linking words (because, for example, especially).
• Peer feedback:
  • Students swap their writing, read each other’s paragraphs aloud and give one compliment and one suggestion.
• Teacher support:
  • Circulate to help with spelling, grammar, and vocabulary use; encourage incorporating Māori words learnt.

4. Conclusion and Sharing (5 minutes)

• Students share their paragraphs with the class or in small groups.
• Teacher reinforces the importance of Ngāti Awa landmarks and how reading and writing help us learn and respect local culture.
• Assign home task: talk to whānau about any family stories or knowledge of local landmarks.

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Assessment and Reflection

• Formative assessment: Observe students using context clues and making connections during reading discussion.
• Writing assessment: Use a simple rubric to check that paragraphs include key information, linking words, and clear structure.
• Self and peer assessment: Feedback from peers on clarity and interest of writing.

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Alignment with New Zealand Curriculum

• English Learning Area:
  • Strand: Reading (Making sense of texts), Writing (Creating texts)
  • Achievement objectives:
    • Years 4-6: Students select, read, and respond to increasingly complex texts, integrating cultural knowledge and vocabulary strategies【4:4,9,10†Te Mataiaho English Single Page.pdf】.
    • Writing with clarity and structure for intended audiences, integrating linking devices to organise ideas logically【4:10,16†Te Mataiaho English Single Page.pdf】.
• Key Competencies: Thinking; Using language, symbols, and texts; Relating to others (valuing identity and culture).
• Te reo Māori and tikanga integration: Embedding Māori perspectives and language with authentic local iwi context supports cultural responsiveness and student identity affirmation【4:12,15†Te Mataiaho English Single Page.pdf】 .

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Extension Ideas

• Create a digital slideshow or poster about a Ngāti Awa landmark combining text and visuals.
• Invite a local kaumātua or educator to share oral histories related to the landmarks.
• Explore oral language through storytelling or role-play of Māori legends connected to the landmarks.

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This lesson celebrates Ngāti Awa heritage while offering a rich, scaffolded English literacy experience that develops students’ confidence and intercultural awareness in line with the Te Mātaiaho framework and National Curriculum expectations.

If you want, I can also help with designing printable resources or digital presentations about Ngāti Awa landmarks!